Imaging for planning and guidance for structural heart interventions

The field of structural heart interventions is one that is expanding at an exponential pace. The role of the interventional echocardiographer and/or cardiac imaging specialist has become increasingly important to assist with the planning and guidance of these interventions. This chapter discusses the general role of imaging and specific role of echocardiography as an adjunct for selected structural heart interventions. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become an alternative to surgery in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) who are inoperable or at high risk for surgical aortic valve replacement. Percutaneous mitral valve (MV) repair has emerged as a therapeutic option for patients with significant symptomatic mitral regurgitation (MR) who are deemed to be too high risk for surgery or who have had previous cardiac surgeries. During transseptal puncture, the bicaval view at 90° can help the interventional cardiologist locate the tip of the transseptal catheter.